Police pledge high visibility patrols after Mexborough gang jailed

Police have pledged to put high visibility patrols on the streets of Mexborough after a gang, who believed they ‘ruled the roost’, was jailed.

Nine members of the gang, going by the name ‘Pitsmoor Shotta Boys’ but ironically operating in the town of Mexborough, pleaded guilty to a range of offences and incidents including violent disorder, drug possession, witness intimidation and robbery, and were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court yesterday afternoon (Thursday, 3 March), with a tenth man failing to appear but sentenced in his absence.

Doncaster Chief Inspector Gwyn Thomas said: “This result is great news and I am very pleased, more so for the residents in Mexborough who have had to endure these individuals and their violent and abhorrent behaviour in the town.

“They brought absolute misery to the community, and I can only hope this offers some reassurance to the public, and highlights how determined and committed we are to bring anyone involved in criminality to justice.

“I want to reassure our Mexborough residents however, that as pleased as we are with this result, we will be continuing our efforts in the town, deploying extra patrols and providing a high visibility police presence in the area, as well as conducting various operations over the coming months.”

Three investigations last year led to nine men and one woman being charged with a number of offences. Nine of the ten charged, changed their pleas to guilty on the day their trial was due to start last month.

Luke Blakemore, 22, Chad Hatton, 19 and Kieran Blakemore, 20, were all arrested for drugs offences on Monday, 26 January, 2015, when a warrant was executed at Hatton’s address on Schofield Street in Mexborough and they were found in possession of class A and class B drugs.

On Saturday, 7 February, 2015, John Gilliver, 27, Joshua Roddis, 21, Lyndon Atkinson, 34, Stephanie Oldfield, 25 and Lewis Roberts, 20, were involved in an incident of violent incident at The Montague Arms public House in Mexborough in which they used weapons including bottles, pool balls and golf clubs to damage the premise and cause fear and violence.

The third incident involved Luke Blakemore, Roddis, Ryan Taylor, 23 and Shaun Chamberlain, 30, who were all charged with a robbery they committed on Thursday, 10 September last year, and Gilliver was charged with witness intimidation in connection to the incident.

They followed a man, not known to them, to his home address in Mexborough and forced him to hand over his car keys and log book, threatening him with violence from the ‘gang’ if he did not comply, and then stole his car.

The nine below pleaded guilty to the offences they were charged with and were sentenced as follows:

*Luke Blakemore of Laburnun Road, Mexborough, sentenced to 13-years and 6 months for robbery and three counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs

*Chad Hatton of Schofield Street, Mexborough, sentenced to 4-years and 6-months for possession with intent to supply class A drugs

The tenth man, Chamberlain of Cumberland way in Bolton-on-Dearne, charged with the robbery failed to appear at court.

He was found guilty and sentenced to 4 years in his absence, as Ch Insp Thomas explains: “Chamberlain is a wanted man and it has been made very clear in court that when we arrest him, and we will, an additional sentence will be handed to him, on top of the four years, for failing to appear.

“All of those sentenced, with the exception of Roberts, have also been served with Criminal Behaviour Orders for three years, meaning they must not associate with each other during this time period or they could potentially face further prison sentences.

“I hope this sends a strong and clear message to anyone involved in criminality, or who is thinking about making the reckless decision and becoming involved, to think again, as we will not tolerate it and we will always relentlessly pursue anyone who breaks the law and is a blight on the community.”